Excerpts of column "Runrunes" (Rumors) released on June 14

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OBSERVATION BALLOON? It seems that the nominations for the State Council and another Government Council were just that to ascertain how they would be accepted. Summons and notices for the sworn-in ceremony are just part of the show. He fears that if doing so, people will think again that he is seriously ill...

VOTING. The four red Vestals were really mad at the only gentleman of the board of directors (of the National Electoral Council). They were annoyed because Vicente Díaz recalled President Hugo Chávez that he is to turn 14 years in office, and strongly recommended him not to continue taking advantage of, or using the government to back his election campaign. Díaz warned the president that any attempt at obligatory simultaneous broadcast of his enrollment as candidate or speech would be a real opportunistic stance. Chávez ordered not to air in obligatory simultaneous broadcast the event and his speech, as it was slated. Rizarrita (Minister of Communication and Information Andréz Izarra) took good care of calling private TV channels Venevisión and Televén, and Conatel acted likewise with several radio stations, for them to air the event.

THE PATIENT. As reported on Tuesday (June 12), the call of challenger Henrique Capriles Radonski on Sunday made them reschedule some of their plans for red Monday. Orders were made orally.  There was no time for additional post-its. The candidate seeking two decades in office had not the customarily makeup to prevent dripping with sweat in the events. For this reason, the close-ups are so tough and his swelling looks very far from being normal. The huge red beret was because he ought not to dye his hair. Doctors recommended him not to use too much. The three-hour term of euphoria and movement was possible thanks to the injections of steroids. While discouraged by Brazil's doctors, the drugs would help. The dose of sedatives was exaggerate. Perhaps for this reason he went back to old slogans and attacks dating from six years ago. The appeal to José Vicente Rangel to act as his "support" was a message to those who fight for succession.

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QUOTATION. A legal battle started last May 17 in a Miami court promises interesting revelations on the financial operations of state-run oil holding Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa). Former stockholders lodged a complaint against Davos Bank. The case file mentions the Security Exchange Commission; Venezuelan-American financier Francisco Illarramendi, charged with a Ponzi-type scheme in managing about USD 500 million of Pdvsa Pension Fund; the government oil company and Pdvsa ex Executive Officer Juan Montes, nowadays retired and a resident of Miami. Regarding this subject, other Venezuelan and US brokers have been visited by the SEC...

EVERY WEEK. The meetings at the Vice-President's Office to do red justice, as denounced by former judge Eladio Aponte Aponte, are alive and kicking.  Vice-President Elías Jaua; Luisa Estela Morales, the president of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ); Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz; Congress Speaker Diosdado Cabello, and Solicitor General Cilia Flores attended one of the latest rendezvous. On that occasion, they discussed the conditional release of Gustavo Arraiz of Microstar, after being remanded in custody for quite a few years; a humanitarian measure for Fernández Berruecos, still to be issued, and a vendetta against a high-ranking military officer who used to be a fiduciary man of the Chávez's government.

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Translated by Conchita Delgado